When most folks hear the word prophet, they think of major figures in history that have stirred the world, upset the status quo, and lived dangerously as a result. Names like Martin Luther, Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammed, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Dorothy Day, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Joan of Arc, Bishop Oscar Romero Sr., Dorothy Stang, John the Baptizer and Jesus, the Christ—Son of God and prophet beyond all prophets—emerge from our memories as heroic men and women who sought to save the world from its own bondage.

When you think of no-bake desserts, what usually comes to mind are pies, cakes and cookies that are made with ingredients that don’t require any baking.

There are many other desserts that don’t need baking, such as ice cream, certain types of cookies and desserts made with fruits and/or cake. But the traditional no-bake types don’t use many ingredients and most require freezing or refrigeration.

Ginger is a lynx point Siamese mix who’s about 8 years old, with beautiful blue eyes and front declawed paws. Her owner died recently, and relatives couldn’t keep her. She is playful and a good companion pet. She needs to be adopted into a home where she is the only pet. To see Ginger, call Cat Tails at 253-1375 or visit its Web site at www.cattails.org. You can visit Ginger, as well as all the other cats and kittens available for adoption, at Cat Tails in the Corner Stone center at 6622 Beach Drive in Ocean Isle Beach. Visiting hours are 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

This has been a tough winter for cold weather wimps like me, and I have the chapped lips and cracked fingers to prove it. Yes, I know the former New Englanders are laughing hysterically and asking, “Would you like some cheese with that whine?”

Some of our plants have, like me, struggled with the colder-than-normal temperatures.

Pruning rose bushes is intimidating to many gardeners but actually good for the plants. Becoming an accomplished rose pruner takes time and practice, but keep in mind it is hard to kill a rose with bad pruning.

While there is a great deal of disagreement among rose experts regarding how and when to prune roses, it is generally agreed most mistakes will grow out quickly and it is better to make a good effort at pruning roses than to let them grow rampant.

Too many people understand newness as novelty. As a result, they are reticent to accept change in their lives. A “same ole, same ole” existence is good enough for them. It’s comfortable, soothing and affirms the adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash is featuring “Barns of the American Landscape,” a group show of oil painters, watercolorists, pastel artists and photographers.

The exhibit, which runs through March 25, includes oil paintings by Richard Dixon, Richard Kuhn, Steven Sullivan, Brenda Behr and Elaine Bigelow, watercolors by Roger Tatum and Janet Dixon, photography by Mark Hilliard, C.E. Smith and David Keener, and pastels by Rose Kennedy and Kevin Beck.